This year, for the first time, Clingendael is welcoming a group of nine civil servants exclusively from Sri Lanka for a two-week training programme in The Hague.

The programme is focused on ‘Blue Economy, sustainability and the Law of the Sea’, key themes for Sri Lanka’s economic development and current regional events. Offering this course follows a trend whereby Clingendael provides tailored courses for specifically selected groups, focusing on events and developments that shape that particular country’s needs and (foreign policy) interests. As part of the training programme the participants are trained in necessary skills to translate potential risks and current factors shaping a Blue Economy into policy recommendations and identifying opportunities.

To do so, the two week training programme fully utilises Dutch knowledge on water management, maritime security and public-private partnerships via various working visits, panel discussions and lectures. The participants experienced Dutch water management hands-on spending a full day visiting the Dutch coastline with an expert on coastal protection. Moreover, in support of the Sri Lankan efforts to counter piracy and drug trafficking at sea, the group also visited the Dutch Ministry of Defence where they spoke with representatives of the Dutch Navy regarding cooperation in the region and law enforcement at sea.